BRIAN MCLAREN (PART I)

Brian McLaren is listed as one of the Top 25 Evangelicals, according to Time Magazine, and is in the Michiana area for a two-day stop at Goshen College. So on Wednesday morning I ventured down to their chapel service to hear his talk on the "Seven Jesuses I Have Known."

McLaren is an extremely personable guy. One of the nicest people you will ever meet. No seriously - you will ever meet! He really exudes grace and mercy like I have rarely seen.

Anyway, here are some of the notes that I jotted down during his 45 minute talk. Some pretty basic stuff from his book "Generous Orthodoxy"

SEVEN JESUSES I HAVE KNOWN

I) Evangelical Jesus
- Jesus was sent to die (although McLaren says, the Gospels never say Jesus was sent just to die)
- God accepts our sin and punishes us for them

II) Penticostal Jesus
- Jesus through the Holy Spirit
- Power to live and move from the Holy Spirit

III) Catholic Jesus
- Jesus saves because he was raised from the dead
- There is no reason to fear anymore because Jesus overcame the ultimate fear - death - and we are liberated

IV) Eastern Orthodox Jesus
- Start by praying that God isn't there
- Jesus saves by being born and that represent God among humanity/creation and, as McLaren stated, He is a "super hero" of sorts

V) Liberal Protestant Jesus
- Jesus teaching is wisdom for the world and it's spreading

VI) Ana-Baptist Jesus
- Jesus lived in community and not as an instituation
- Jesus saves through 12 disciples
- McLaren made reference to this is close to what Amish are

VII) Jesus of Liberation Theology
- Reading the Bible is "colored" through your individual perspective
- God works through the "least of things" to liberate (i.e. Martin Luther King, Jr.)

So if you have read this long through the blog, I am impressed! Some of this stuff would be great sleeping materal ;-) ... Anyway, he is back at Goshen for a second time and I will pass along that information after he is done!